With more than 30 years of experience in public education, former A&M–San Antonio student and Harlandale ISD Superintendent Gerardo Soto recently reached another career milestone: he was named the 2025 Superintendent of the Year for Education Service Center (ESC) Region 20.
The Texas Association of School Boards selects one superintendent from each ESC region to recognize “achievement and excellence in public school administration.” Region 20 includes school districts in Bexar, Kerr and Atascosa counties and stretches west to the Mexican border.
Soto began his career as a paraprofessional before becoming a classroom teacher. He later served as principal of Frank Tejeda Academy, Harlandale ISD’s alternative campus, and then as the district’s executive director of operations. In 2020, he was named superintendent of Harlandale ISD.
Leading up to this, Soto completed A&M-San Antonio’s in 2016 as part of the program’s inaugural cohort. The program, housed in the College of Education and Human Development, played a pivotal role in preparing him for district leadership.
Soto said the certification program equipped him with the tools to navigate the complex challenges of leading a public school district in a major metropolitan area.
The program includes coursework in advanced personnel management and human resources, school finance and facilities management, student advocacy, and oversight of specialized academic programs such as career and technical education.
Beyond the coursework, Soto said the collaborative environment made the experience especially valuable.
“The best part of that program is you're with like-minded individuals, and you're exposed to real-life issues,” Soto said. “It’s not just reading material where you think, ‘OK, I kind of understand this.’”
As part of the program, participants visit active school construction sites to better understand how to keep projects on time and within budget. They also explore the nuances of superintendent responsibilities, including implementing district budgets and monitoring the impact of state legislation on public schools.
As superintendent, Soto has overseen numerous accomplishments. Under his leadership, voters approved HISD’s 2022 bond — a $125 million package that marked the largest bond in the district’s history.
He also turned the 2023 closure of four campuses into an opportunity by repurposing the former school buildings for other district programs.
Additionally, Soto established a career and technical education center, introduced the state’s first private network to expand student digital connectivity, and opened the Harlandale Makerspace Center, where students explore STEM careers through hands-on learning.
Soto participated in the superintendent certification program while transitioning from principal of Frank Tejeda Academy to Harlandale ISD’s director of maintenance and operations.
Dr. Juan Antonio Jasso, the University’s superintendent program recruiter, said he was impressed by how effectively Soto stepped into his new role and managed multimillion-dollar construction projects.
“Mr. Soto was able to make the leadership adjustments that were needed at the time,” Jasso said. “He demonstrated that he could lead in a crisis without compromising the mission and vision of the district.”
For Soto, relationship-building has been central to his success. He credits strong partnerships — both within Harlandale ISD and across the region — as key to advancing opportunities for students.
“Any issue that you have with education, if you're able to develop relationships, it makes it that much more worthwhile,” Soto said. “We all might be serving different communities, but we're all trying to do what's best for our children.”